WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden, who has called for providing a pathway to citizenship for so-called Dreamer immigrants, said on Thursday that a big budget bill being written by Democrats in Congress should tackle immigration.
Biden, who made the comment to reporters at the White House, said on Sunday he was uncertain whether a pathway to citizenship for immigrants protected from deportation under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program could be included in the bill, which Democrats plan to pass without Republican support.
He made his latest comments after meeting with Democratic lawmakers on immigration at the White House.
“It went very well,” Biden said of the meeting, adding he was on board with an immigration proposal being included in the bill.
Senate Democratic leaders this month told other members the budget measure would open the door to legislation on climate measures, social spending, and extension of a child tax credit.
However, it remains unclear if the Senate parliamentarian, who decides which provisions may be included in a budget package, will approve inclusion of an immigration measure.
DACA protects recipients from deportation, grants them work authorization and access to driver’s licenses, and in some cases better access to financial aid for education. It does not provide a path to citizenship.
People protected under DACA primarily are young Hispanic adults born in Mexico and countries in Central and South America who were brought to the United States as children.
(Reporting by Nandita Bose; Writing by Tim Ahmann; Editing by Sandra Maler and Chris Reese)
